NIGHT OF THE COMET

When a comet passes Earth for the first time in 65 million years (surely a warning in itself, although how anyone knows that that was the last time it committed a fly-by is a mystery in itself), just about everyone on the planet is determined to watch what is promised to be a fantastic light show. Only problem is that by watching the ensuing event, you’ll be turned into a pile of red dust. The only people saved from this apocalyptic scenario are those who spent the time encased within a steel lined room.Fortunately for Valley Girls and sisters, Regina (Stewart) and Samantha (Maroney), they were.

The girls awaken to find a very different world, where the only people left standing are either mutated zombies or nefarious government officials trying to find a cure. In a world where shopping is now free and traffic is a thing of the past, the girls need to keep their wits about them to stay alive. When they’re taken to an underground facility, under the premise of safety and ensuring the continuation of the human race, it’s only then the government officials make their real intentions very clear.

Also starring a pre-Star Trek: Voyager Robert Beltran, this is a prime example of cheesy ‘80s horror; with its tongue firmly in cheek, the film doesn’t try to be something it’s not. As a result, it’s just an entertaining slice of nostalgia.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this cult classic, Arrow have done a really good job with this rerelease. The transfer is pretty clean and crisp, and they have gotten quite a few of the main players to contribute new interviews that shed light on a production that was so low budget that it wasn’t unheard of for the actors to be working on the abandoned streets of Los Angeles at Christmas just to get the right post-apocalypse feel. It’s fun. It’s throwaway. Most importantly, Night of the Comet is a real blast from the past and a very entertaining one at that!